Conjoined
by NaturanWolfian14
Summary: Now found on Quotev! Riverclan harbors a gruesome secret when Swallowtail, the deputy, dies. The Dewpaw wishes to be accepted as a normal member of Riverclan and freely roam. His brother wants to be the best warrior he can be, disregarding Dewpaw's wishes. How can Dewpaw find his path if he can't even move his paws? Can he speak up, or disappear as just something "extra"?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_A young tom_ waited anxiously in front of the nursery, a den composed of marsh grass and dug out dirt. His tail twitched impatiently, yet his whiskers quivered with excitement. Leaving deep scores in the ground with his claws, the feline was abruptly surprised when another cat, a brown tabby, came out from the dark depths of the den, a solemn look sketched on his face. The tom looks startled, "Can—I come in now, DarkLeaf?"

DarkLeaf nodded, "Yes, Swallowtail."

His face was speechless, as he refused to look into Swallowtail's eyes. Immediately, Swallowtail felt a tremble all the way to his tail, _something is wrong._ Going to the worst conclusion, Swallowtail mewed nervously, "Is one in… Starclan?"

He released a breath of relief when DarkLeaf shook his head. However, knowing he couldn't hold off anymore, Swallowtail trotted past the medicine cat, and into the Nursery, where his kits would should be born. Every step echoed until Swallowtail caught sight of his mate, Meadowpelt, at the end of the tunnel on a pile of soft moss. Meadowpelt's tortoise pelt was ragged as she heaved a breath after another, having just kitted. Swallowtail gulped, for queens aren't supposed to be this tired after kitting. As he came into view, and his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he noticed a small, yet burly kit nestled in Meadowpelt's side.

Meadowpelt brought her eyes up to Swallowtail's, her pupils quivering in fear. She stuttered on her words, "Swa—The—Kits—I mean, kit—it's…"

Swallowtail bristled, "What happened?"

"Just… Look." She couldn't bear to look at her mate's eyes.

Swallowtail was immediately at her side and looking down at the kit, which was busy drinking the milk Meadowpelt provided for it. Upon further examining, Swallowtail couldn't quite see what was wrong with the kit, it seemed healthy, and, in his opinion, beautiful. He felt a purr rise in his throat, but then he swallowed it, getting onto his paws in a start. The kit. It has… No… Horror rose inside Swallowtail. No!_ This can't be!_ Before Meadowpelt could meow anything, he was already running out of the den, kicking up dirt as he ran with all his heart.

_No… No… No! This can't be happening!_ He pelted across the camp, past every cat, _No! No! No No No No!_ He continued running through the brush, now out of the camp, and into the night. _No! No! I can't believe it! No!_ His paws were rubbing raw and blood roaring in his ears, _No! That's… That's not my kit! No!_ Before he knew it, he was at the gorge. Taking ragged breaths, Swallowtail circled around the edge of the cliff, _No! No! No!_ _Starclan why?_

The river raged below him, a sea of black oil swirling, as he yowled to the stars, "_How can you do this to me!" _In a flash, a tail touched his shoulder, and he jumped, his teeth bared. His brother, Thornpelt, stared at him. _"Thornpelt! Why has Starclan done this to me?"_

Thornpelt, with stars in his fur, murmured, "Starclan is confused as well."

"_Confused?_ What am I suppose to do to," he hissed, "raise that _monster?_"

His brother padded to his side, his eyes mournful, "Maybe if you love it—"

Swallowtail exploded, "_No! I won't raise it,"_ he continued with a savage snarl, "I worked so hard to get to deputy, and _this_ is how I'm repaid?"

Turning his back to his deceased kin, he turned to the edge of the gorge, looking at star-pelt glittering down on him. A moon ago, he would of admired the star's lust, but now the stars rained down on him like millions of claws. Swallow-tail's eyes darkened, "My reputation. Is. Gone."

Thornpelt meowed with protest, "You can work with this! You always had a way to fix situations!"

Swallowtail murmured, with regret in his voice, "No. I can't." Thornpelt threw himself at his brother, grabbling at his disappearing form, "No!"

Heaving himself off the edge of the ravine, the form of the old deputy disappeared into the gaping hole of the gorge.

…


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_Dewkit mumbled _softly in his sleep, engulfed in the darkness of his dreams. Slowly, his eyes flickered, until finally opening. He gazed around, opening his eyes for the first time. His short moments of sight were cut short. The hole where the light came from faded away, putting him once again in darkness.

The fresh scent of milk wafted to his nose, and his stomach grumbled. Clumsily, he got up on his feet and stumbled across the mossy flooring to get to the smell. A she-cat lay on her side, breathing softly. Her feet twitched, as if running endlessly from something. Small yelps emitted from her throat, but Dewkit didn't regard them. He was only wanted the milk. Plunging his muzzle into her side, he drank in her warmth and fed. All the sudden, his back felt heavy, as if he was carrying extra weight.

Sometime later, the cat mumbled in her sleep something that Dewkit couldn't make out. He continued to drink. For him, she was simply speaking gibberish. All the sudden, she looked up, awaken from her dreamscape. Her eyes, the color of marvelous gold, widened. Dewkit looked up slowly from where he crouched, leaning against her side. She was blinking the sleep from her eyes, clearly not aware of his presence. He recognized the she-cat immediately as Meadowpelt. In the darkness of his short life, he often heard her name echoing in the complex of his mind. _Was this my mother? _

He mewed.

Claws raked his sides as Meadowpelt pushed Dewkit away, a yowl echoing in his ears. Her claws were unsheathed, but she seemed indifferent about his wellbeing. Her soft tail plumed like jagged spikes. Her eyes narrowed, and she hissed with pure hatred. Dewkit whimpered, backing up until he felt his hind legs touch the wall."Please don't hurt me," he begged.

The she-cat looked startled at the sound of his voice. Her eyes were motionless, as she scanned over him. He shivered. It was as if her claws were already raking over him, the way she gazed at his fur, his paws, and his _face_. _What's wrong with my face?_ He examined himself. He looked normal, what was wrong? He stepped closer. Meadowpelt sputtered a series of cracked hisses, as if her throat was dried up. The light was back, illuminating the entire den.

Dewkit heard the faint murmur of voices in the distance, becoming increasing louder. Diverting his eyes from the shaken frame of his mother, Dewkit scrabbled on his paws to the nearest corner. If his mother was this mean, how would the other cats be? He didn't want to take any chances. He curled in the small section of the den, far away from his mother's disappearing form, as she exited out of the hole. Underneath his shaken paws, he heard the soft whisper of words jumbling through the air. The atmosphere was thick with anxiety.

"Meadowpelt, Are you okay?" This voice sounded concerned, not cruel as Dewkit expected. He remained silent still.

"That _thing_ opened its eyes and _talked!_ I refuse to look at it!" Meadowpelt's voice sounded cracked.

_Thing? Am I the thing? _Dewkit felt rotten to the stomach. He wasn't even a cat to his mother! He was a lowly _thing_, some creature that talked like a cat, but was a monster. He shook his head, _but I'm a normal kit!_ The voices softened. Dewkit strained his ears to catch some of the conversation. Nothing, but it seemed they were calming Meadowpelt down. Finally, he heard paw steps echoing closer, approaching him. Stunned, he raised one paw to investigate. A young gingery cat pawed at loose pieces of moss, clearly searching for something. _Me?_ Dewkit stopped shivering, and slipped from the shadows. The tom noticed him. Shock glittered in his two deep eyes as he first saw the young kit. Dewkit hung his head, awaiting his punishment and the searing pain that follows.

Instead the cat briskly licked his forehead. Dewkit glanced up, searching for forgiveness in his eyes. His eyes shone like two pairs of emeralds, with a constant glint that sparkled.

The ginger blinked softly, "Are you… Dewkit?"

Dewkit nodded silently, not allowing emotion flood through his trembling voice, "Yes."

The tom looked relieved. He purred warmly, "I'm Gingerstep." Gingerstep outstretched a paw, to bring Dewkit closer. He squirmed from his grip, feeling the stranger's hot breath. He mewed softly, "Why does my mother hate me?"

He searched the tom's eyes as Gingerstep sighed. Pity. Dewkit could notice Gingerstep trying to comfort him, but there was pity in his eyes. Dewkit began to back away, _he doesn't like me either!_ Gingerstep rose to his paws, and began to disappear into the outside. Before the light fully engulfed his body, he called, "Come with me, Dewkit." Unsure, Dewkit nodded, following the tom.

Dewkit trailed after Gingerstep. In the silence, he made a game that involved squishing the marshy ground. He thought bitterly of Meadowpelt's face as she disappeared into another den, the _Warriors_ den, according to Gingerstep. His mother had the face of pure contempt as he turned tail and walked away, following the foot-steps of, what appears to be, his only friend. He was getting a knack out of his made up game when he ran into the back of the ginger tom's leg.

The ginger tom pointed towards a river curved up ahead. It sparkled as the sun rippled on its surface, distorting the image of ground that lay beneath. Dewkit gasped, it was just so beautiful. He struggled to get closer. All the sudden, it felt a lot more lopsided to walk. His claws gripped the ground, leaving scuffles. His heart drummed against his chest, waiting to burst. He looked over into the water's reflection. _What would he look like? _Would he have gold eyes? The water stilled. The bird that was cawing in the distance fell silent.

Dewkit gaped at the image reflected on the water's surface. Desperate, he turned his head around, trying to see the flaw that he had seen on the mirrored water. His claws shivered as he struggled to straighten himself. The floor looked a lot closer, as his head spun. _No… What?_ Gingerstep was behind him. He whimpered. "Is this why nobody wants me?"

Gingerstep nodded. His eyes full of remorse. Dewkit could tell what he was thinking. He had to break the news to the deformed kit that nobody wanted him. He sighed, "Who wants a kit like me?"

He felt the familiar breath of Gingerstep on his neck. He laid his head on the top of Dewkit's forehead. There was warmth in his voice as he echoed, "I'll raise you."


	3. Chapter 2

_Eyes full of longing_, Dewkit envied the way the apprentices tumbled and wrestled each other from across the clearing. Mudpaw had swatted an unsheathed paw over Poolpaw's head. She jeered, "Move faster than that, _Slow_paw!" Mudpaw hissed playfully and crashed into her. They quickly became a tumble of fur and paws. Poolpaw emerged pinned, her fur rubbing on the ground, a twinkle in her eye. He forced himself to look away. He saw a glimpse of the ginger tom, Gingerstep, in the shadows of the warriors den. The warm orange tom has proven to be a loving alternate father, and Dewkit often thought of how much he owed to the kind-hearted cat. Over the past moons, the cats slowly grew accustomed to Dewkit and his brother. However, he couldn't shake the images of disgusted faces that he'd received behind his back.

His paws moved, he felt them but made no indication of stopping them. It was as if his body had a mind of their own, weaving clumsily over loose strands of reeds cast across the clearing. Suddenly, Marshstar's yowl shattered the brittle air, "Let all cats old enough to swim gather for a clan meeting!"

Dewkit had already been sitting down, his head rubbing slightly against his brother's. His brother, Leafkit, glared at Dewkit, but made no motion to pull his head away. As if they had a choice. Wolfheart peeked through the warriors den, his eyes surprised, "Are they making them apprentices?"

Crabclaw shook his head in disbelief, "I doubt it."

Dewkit bit his tongue, was he really going to become an apprentice? Jaguarfang, the newly appointed deputy, whispered something urgent to Marshstar. The Riverclan leader exchanged a few words before dismissing her. Jaguarfang looked as if she wanted to argue against the leader's wishes, but stepped down. As the clan slowly gathered, Marshstar mewed, "It's now time for a two very _peculiar_ kits to be given their apprenticeship." Shock rippled through the crowd, Leafkit shuffled his feet against the muddy soil.

"Wait!" Twigtail, one of the more senior warriors, cried out. He stared defiantly at Marshstar. "They can't be apprentices!" Marshstar flicked his tail, his yellow eyes narrowing. Twigtail curled his lip in disgust, "How do you even know that they're fit to be warriors?" Murmurs of agreement rose from the other cats. Dewkit felt Leafkit stiffen. His brother was glaring at Twigtail, as if picking out his favorite prey from the fresh-kill pile.

Marshstar waved his tail dismissively over the crowd of cats, all becoming silent. He stood higher, his voice booming like thunder rumbling over the moor, "All cats listen to me as I speak these words, for you to all can see before me these two kits." He paused, and gazed across his clanmates. Twigtail's doubt vanished, and he back down, melting with his peers. Leafkit stood rooted, his whiskers quivering. Marshstar continued, "Adderfang, step forward."

Adderfang gaped, "Me?" Marshstar ignored his inaudible protests, "You will be mentor to Dewpaw and Leafpaw."

Walking numbly, Adderfang had the expression of pure shock and excitement. He approached the conjoined former kits, his eyes darting to each head. He bowed his head respectively, as newly appointed mentors do. Leafpaw bowed repeatedly, Dewpaw repeating the same actions. Dewpaw's head began to dizzy from the bowing.

Cats slowly began to chant, "Leafpaw! Dewpaw! Leafpaw! Dewpaw!" A mew rang out in the ruckus, "Marshstar! But you can't assign one mentor to a kit with _two_ heads!" It was Twigtail, his eyes furious.

Marshstar tilted a head to the side, his eyes making Dewpaw's fur crawl, certainly Twigtail's as well. The gray sky began to drizzle softly, speckling dark spots on the musty ground. He replied curtly, "As they say, two heads are better than one."

…

…

The mud clung to their paws like leeches in the training hollow. Dewpaw shuddered at the soil embedding between their paws, _If _I _was in control, I would lick all this mud off! _ He sighed, pushing such thoughts to the back of his head.

Dewpaw leaned his head obediently, as Leafpaw crouched into a stalking position. Adderfang had been kind as a mentor on their first day, but Dewpaw still couldn't erase the look of pure shock that erupted as his mentor's name was announced. Talking to them, it appeared Adderfang relaxed however, and they moved to the most basic functions of becoming a warrior, hunting. Adderfang examined their posture. "Make sure to balance your front paws slightly. Make sure to press lightly!" Dewpaw felt their paws separate slightly.

Quickly, he murmured softly, "You're pressing too hard on the back paws."

Leafpaw hissed underneath his breath, "Shut up, Dewpaw. _I'm_ the one in charge."

Dewpaw drew in a long breath. It was a painful reminder that Leafpaw could control all their movements. When they were kits, Dewpaw controlled most of the time. As Leafpaw's conscience matured, however, he took over permanently. He recalled the day he couldn't control paws, and the glint of excitement as Leafpaw opened his eyes for the first time. Leafpaw lessened the weight on his hind-legs, the sudden change retrieving Dewpaw from his memories. Adderfang nodded with approval, "Good job, Leafpaw!"

Leafpaw purred gently, so inaudible, Dewpaw could only detect it by its rumbling in their chest. Leafpaw insisted on practicing more and tried several times more, pressing his paw prints into the mud deeper. As he did this, Dewpaw looked to the blue endless sky. Finches erupted from nearby and skipped across the sky, their wings displaying an array of red and brown feathers. _They have one head, _Dewpaw thought jealously. Suddenly, a combination of brown and pale fur smashed from the undergrowth, Poolpaw and Mudpaw scampering towards the shrinking specks in the sky.

"We _could_ have had those finches if you didn't mess up!" complained Mudpaw. He thrust his sharpened claws into the softened ground in frustration. Poolpaw cuffed his ear, "You slipped on the mud!"

Mudpaw retorted, "Only after you scared them off!"

Twigtail appeared from the reeds onto the muddy training ground. The tip of his tail twitched, "Both of you failed. So I would stop arguing unless you want to be cleaning the elders for ticks like Lilypaw is!" Mudpaw and Poolpaw grumbled, exchanged mean looks, but didn't say anymore.

Adderfang mewed in greeting, "Good afternoon, Twigtail!" Leafpaw unsheathed his claws, the sunlight glinting them as he dug them into the ground. Dewpaw sighed. _this isn't going to end well…_

Twigtail narrowed his eyes as if noticing them for the first time, "Oh. It's you." He nodded to Adderfang silently, his eyesight not even grazing Dewpaw and Leafpaw. A hiss rumbled in Leafpaw's chest. Dewpaw whispered hurriedly, "Leafpaw calm down!"

Leafpaw arched his back, growling as he lashed a paw in mid-air. He blurted out, "I'm going to be the best apprentice there ever was! Maybe even _warrior!_" Twigtail curled his lip. Dewpaw groaned as Leafpaw acted on impulse. It was clear that Leafpaw remembered Twigtail's objections to their apprenticeship. Twigtail's fur bristled slightly. He circled around Leafpaw, his eyes glaring. "First of all, your form is an absolute atrocity and you barely know how to swing your paw correctly." The light rain was beginning to make their feet slippery as Leafpaw turned to face Twigtail as he nonchalantly walked around them. The beginnings of a snarl crept in his voice. "I know how to use my paws—"

A wave of pain shivered along Dewpaw's spine as they were swept off their feet. It was as if lightning had hit them. Dewpaw didn't even see the blow coming. Twigtail pressed a paw against their flank. He mewed politely. "That's how you properly attack." Leafpaw lifted his head off the ground, spitting dirt. Twigtail didn't budge, as Leafpaw struggled to heave himself off the ground. Mudpaw and Lilypaw snickered from the distance. Humiliation rose from Leafpaw as his peers giggled at his failure.

Smirking, Twigtail twitched his whiskers at his triumphant victory. Leafpaw spat and squirmed underneath him, "That's all you can do? I wouldn't be so proud at beating a new apprentice as a _warrior_."

Twigtail refused to let them up. Leafpaw ranted more. "Just wait until _I'm_ a warrior!"

The brown tom ignored Leafpaw's insults, gazing straight at Dewpaw. Dewpaw shrank as far as his neck could allow, his fur crawling underneath his sharp gaze. Twigtail mewed challengingly at the two headed cat beneath him. "You may want to be a warrior," he shot a look at Leafpaw, "but I would like to hear Dewpaw's opinion."

Dewpaw gulped. his mouth shivering as he tried to find words that refused to come. _Nobody has ever asked for my opinion…_ The question dug deeper than Dewpaw ever expected. What _did_ he want to do with his life? He muttered softly, "I guess—"

Leafpaw cut him off, "He doesn't want anything!" His tortoiseshell fur rippled with rage. Twigtail knew he hit a nerve. He looked as if he was to ask Dewpaw more questions. Leafpaw mewed through a clenched hiss, "Get off me!" Leafpaw's hind legs pummeled him away. Twigtail landed softly on his paws, his tail whipping.

Leafpaw yowled with outrage, "You don't know what Dewpaw wants! I'm the one in charge! I was the one born with control! What gives you the right to talk to him?" Dewpaw hung his head. _Why does Leafpaw talk about me this way? It's as if I'm just dead weight._

Dewpaw spoke up over his screams, "Leafpaw!" His voice drowned quickly as the world spun. Leafpaw shrieked, "Leave me alone!"

His head whirled as he got disoriented. _Leafpaw must have turned the other way to run._ Suddenly, they were whizzing through the reeds back to the camp. Leafpaw huffed as he ran as fast as he could. Adderfang called in the distance. Dewpaw couldn't hear over the blood roaring in his ears. Reeds whipped Dewpaw's face as he shielded his face from the spiky tips. As they ran, Dewpaw couldn't stop thinking. _If I'm part of Leafpaw eternally, what am I supposed to do? Am I just something extra? Half a cat? _He pondered with this new information, deep in thought. The noxious scent of fury and anger stuck in his mouth as Leafpaw broke into the camp clearing, his eyes murderous.

Adderfang shortly followed afterwards. "Leafpaw!" His voice was stern. Leafpaw calmed himself, his spiked fur slowly lowering. He snapped, "What?"

Adderfang narrowed his eyes, "Don't talk to me in that tone. Now, until you learn to keep your temper controlled, I think you'll much rather want to help clean the elders for ticks and moss for a _moon_. You are not allowed to leave this camp at all!" Leafpaw looked stricken, and was about to protest. He thought better of it, and didn't speak instead, but glared at his mentor. "Now go to the apprentice's den to prepare your nest. It's almost sunfall. You will have to learn the tough way to address your clanmates."

Leafpaw bowed his head reluctantly, and muttered, "Yes, Adderfang."

As Leafpaw kneaded a new nest together, the other apprentices began to slip through the cramped entrance, various leafs falling from the compact mud as they brushed past them. Dewpaw called, "Hey guys!" _I'm not sure why I'm speaking to them instead of Leafpaw, but it's not like Leafpaw will talk… _Poolpaw waved a tail in response. Mudpaw was deep in conversation with Lilypaw. From their constant looks over their shoulders, Dewpaw had a hunch they were the topic. Hush mutterings continued behind their backs, and Leafpaw stiffened, but continued to his work. As they nestled into the fresh moss, lined with old heron feathers, Dewpaw sighed. Leafpaw's slow rhythmic breathing lulled him to sleep, as it always had, and he rested his head beside Leafpaw's. He wished he wasn't like this. He wished that he didn't exist like a monster. As he fell into a dark abyss of dreams, he pushed away the thoughts of wishing. They would never come true.

Omsc! Thanks so much for the reads. Leafpaw is suppose to have tantrums ;) he'll mature… eventually.


	4. UPDATE! READ THIS!

UPDATE:

Under the name NaturanWolfian14, You can now find the same story Conjoined on Quotev! Be aware that this is me! Happy readings!


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Dashing through the _forest of his dreamscape, Dewpaw never felt so free. The wind in his fur, and the feeling of absolute freedom gave him shivers of delight. _No apprenticeship, no Twigtail, and best of all no Leafpaw!_ The never-ending forest never ceased to amaze him, and being in control of his body made him feel great. Panting, Dewpaw rested to a stop. Out here, in his mind, in _his _dream, he could speak however he wanted. Basking in the dappled sunlight, he allowed his mind to freely wander. He was in a particularly good mood. _It's not every day that you can dream _and_ think!_ He leaped onto a tree trunk, licking his chops as he envisioned imaginary prey. The prey of his choice, a rabbit, materialized out of mid-air a few tail-lengths away from his perch. He squared his haunches, and bunched his muscles to prepare the chase. He heard a _snap! _as the rabbit hurriedly ran off, it's bobbing tail disappearing into the undergrowth.

Dewpaw cursed loudly, _someone ruined my hunt!_ He mewed out loud, "Who's there?" _How dare someone, or something, intrude on my dreams!_ The ferns dispersed as a sleek shadow crept into Dewpaw's peripheral view. He shifted to face his opponent. Upon further examination, he recognized the medicine cat, Darkleaf. The medicine cat mewed slowly, "Dewpaw?" It was if he was unsure.

Dewpaw sighed with exasperation, "Yes?"

Darkleaf quickly corrected himself. "My apologies. Usually cats are bit _slow_ in their dreams, so to speak." Dewpaw wasn't as amused as Darkleaf but patiently flicked his tail.

"I technically have all night to spend, so I think some questions. How'd you get in my dreams?" Dewpaw twitched his whiskers, astonished that the medicine cat could speak in his dreams. He did hear tales of medicine cats coming to dreams when they had something important to say.

Darkleaf smirked at his curiosity, "Medicine cat stuff. You know." _I actually don't know…_Dewpaw just shrugged and didn't question it further. He leaped off the tree trunk, and sat, eagerly waiting whatever news Darkleaf had. As he pounced off, his heart pounded. _Maybe I'm part of a prophecy! Maybe I will have powers—_As if reading his mind, Darkleaf cut him off when he began to sit. "I can see the look on your face. No. I don't have any special prophecy or anything from Starclan. Believe it or not, I actually came here out of the goodness of my heart."

Dewpaw looked slightly down but then mewed again, upbeat. "What's up?"

The black cat looked astounded. "Dewpaw. You're so… Happy here. I've never seen you like this…"

Embarrassed, Dewpaw licked his gray chest fur. "So? There are no cats here that will be disgusted by me and I'm in control of my own person."

"No—I mean yes, but I've never seen you like this. Your pelt is gray instead of tortoiseshell like your brother's." Darkleaf stumbled on his words, surprised.

Dewpaw looked down. He sighed before looking into Darkleaf's eyes. "Leafpaw's pelt is tortoiseshell, but my head is gray. It's as if my head doesn't even belong on his body. Here, however, my true pelt is gray!" He gave his ruffled silvery chest fur a few licks. "At least, that's what I'd like to imagine it!" Darkleaf rubbed past Dewpaw, the light glimmering on his glossy coat. He sat in front of Dewpaw, his tail twitching with interest.

He eventually mewed with regret, "I wish I could have visited you sooner. I think I'm the only cat to see the real you."

Dewpaw shrugged nonchalantly, his gray coat rippling in the dream sunlight. "It's okay. I actually prefer to myself."

Darkleaf rubbed noses, his eyes full of concern. "I actually came to talk to you about that. I was worried about you lately." Dewpaw stiffened.

"Worried about what?"

"It's about you and Leafpaw. I'm worried that you're disconnecting with reality. This…" he gestured the surroundings, "False fantasy isn't healthy for a normal cat, Dewpaw!" Dewpaw shot him a look. All friendliness and emotion vanished as he pointed out plainly, "One thing; I'm not a normal cat. Two things; I'm forever going to stay connected to my brother for the rest of my days. How do you think I'm healthy?"

He shook and hung his head. He didn't know what to do.

Darkleaf stepped hesitantly towards the shaken apprentice. "I knew your father. He was a friend of mine." He gazed into the depths of Dewpaw's sunlit eyes. "He was not the strongest. Not the bravest. But he knew how to solve problems, which ended up earning him the title of Deputy." His image wavered slightly.

"What's _your_ problem, Dewpaw?" The image of Darkleaf began to fade softly. His golden eyes locked onto Dewpaw's, probing him further. He explained as his image began to shiver, "I need to wake up early before dawn to inspect some of the rainfall on some herbs I've been growing."

Dewpaw nodded. His heart skipped a beat as he realized he had one of the first conversations privately with another cat in a long time. All the sudden, he didn't want DarkLeaf to go. He pawed at the medicine cat, only to find it go through the now transparent feline. DarkLeaf purred warmly, his eyes mischievous. "I can always talk to you, Dewpaw in _the real world_. I'll always try to visit in your dreamland though." He flicked his tail in farewell as he grew more blurred by the second.

He didn't even wait for the wise cat to fully dissolve before he bolted in the opposite direction, his heart soaring. Dewpaw began to think clearly, the cogs in his brain setting to work. _Perhaps I can actually prove myself useful to Leafpaw! Two heads equal more sight and better awareness! _We_ can be the best warriors ever!_ He planned throughout the rest of his dream, what he would say, do, and how to impress the others.

He ran until his heart burned, and his legs ached. The feeling of his heart bursting, and the endless energy in his paws was undeniable. He wanted to do something. _I feel…_ "inspired…" he echoed, the walls of his fantasy crumbling to bits, the particles fading to darkness as the floor dropped beneath him. _I'm going to prove Leafpaw I'm useful. Not be something extra!_

With a start, he woke up abruptly as his conscience began to plunge into the real world. Leafpaw had woken up long before he had, absently picking at loose bedding in front of them, deep in thought. Cheerfully, Dewpaw mewed. "What are we doing today?"

Leafpaw looked up, surprised at his brother's voice. "I—I guess we just clean the elder's bedding like Adderfang told us to." He said uncertainly. All the other nests were vacant, yet the scent was fresh, as Dewpaw sniffed the air softly. He pointed out. "Leafpaw, I smell that the other apprentices were here recently," he shifted his neck to a more comfortable point, "Why don't we just ask, or even beg, Adderfang to let us go?"

Tilting his head to the side, Leafpaw admitted, "I suppose we can try… But it _is _unlikely we'll get to train today." Sourly he muttered, "We were _supposed_ to see some of the territory today as well."

Dewpaw urged him, "Come on! What's the worst he can say?" His brother glanced at him, obviously thinking of the worst he could say. Leafpaw shrugged off clumps of feathers in his fur as the two brothers slinked through the opening of the Apprentice den. Across the clearing, Adderfang nibbled on several broken pieces of vole bones, while chatting with one of the more senior warriors, Wolfheart.

Above them, the sky appeared to be flecked with sheep cotton balls. _Dirty cotton balls, _Dewpaw thought pointedly. Shadowy clouds boomed on the horizon, strikes of lightning clawing the sky. Leafpaw sighed as the impending rainstorm spread slowly closer, infecting the rest of the blue sky. As they approached their mentor, unaware of their presence, Leafpaw stopped short. He shuddered, "I hate the rain."

Dewpaw suppressed an _mroow_ if laughter. "A Riverclan cat that hates water?" Realizing his teasing, he added guiltily afterwards, "I'm not a big fan either."

To Dewpaw's surprise, Leafpaw wasn't offended. "I know. I _suppose_ it's ironic."

Dewpaw was surprised, _Usually Leafpaw gets upset by stuff like that… Especially if it's a joke on _him.He quickly snapped his gaping jaw before Leafpaw could notice his astonished face. Soon, they reached the two conversing cats. Adderfang, aware of them behind his back, impatiently flicked his ear. Leafpaw took that as a cue to speak.

"Adderfang, I—I mean _we_ were wondering whether we could possibly—"

Adderfang turned around to face them, cutting them off. "What I've said is final."

Dewpaw gulped uneasily. _But I need to prove to Leafpaw I'm useful now!_ He blurted out, "Adderfang, we're really sorry about our behavior," he winced at the word 'behavior', "but we'll make it up to you!"

Leafpaw, sensing where Dewpaw was going, added with forced enthusiasm, "Anything!"

Wolfheart exchanged amused glances with the black tom. Adderfang raised an imaginary brow, "Anything?"

Dewpaw and Leafpaw nodded excitedly as Adderfang drawled. "Well, I suppose I could get you to prove to me that you can handle training again." Wolfheart snickered, as knowing a hilarious inside joke.

"Clean up the kit's dirt in the nursery."

Leafpaw groaned as Wolfheart burst in mews of laughter. Adderfang concluded, "_and_ clean the elders bedding."

"Mousedung!"

"You'll be cleaning up more than just mouse dung, Leafpaw."


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Strike with your left paw, Leafpaw!"

"Lean back to allow his paw have more momentum, Dewpaw!"

The two brothers collapsed onto the muddy ground, exhausted. Adderfang loomed over the two, forcing them to scramble back to their paws. Their mentor mewed harshly, "Two more times!"

Leafpaw rebuked immediately. "But Adderfa—"he quickly cut off his objection, realizing his mistake. Adderfang nodded curtly, approving his decision to _shut up. _Leafpaw bit his tongue, and continued practicing the battle moves Adderfang set out for them to learn. Dewpaw leaned back as instructed and bit back a victorious mew as he noticed how fast their paw darted. Leafpaw curled his claws into the ground, relishing in their newfound muscles through all their intensive training.

Adderfang sat back on his haunches, clearly satisfied with his work. "I believe we can take a break from training. Perhaps see some of the territory with Poolpaw and Whiskertail."

In unison, the two brother's ears perked in excitement at their mentor's news. "Which border will we visit?" asked Dewpaw eagerly.

"Our shared border with ThunderClan."

Leafpaw hissed, swiping the air through imaginary ThunderClan pelt. "Just wait 'til those foxhearts regret taking Sunningrocks away from RiverClan!"

Adderfang's tail twitched with hidden amusement as he mewed, "We'll see about that." Dewpaw shook his head silently. They couldn't tear any foxhearts if they couldn't _swim_ across the border first. Eagerly, the two bounded after their disappearing mentor into the underbrush. Passing over a lengthy creek, Poolpaw sprang from the undergrowth. Dewpaw squeaked. He cursed silently; _I can't let myself get startled so easily!_

She nudged up against Dewpaw's side roughly, nearly toppling them over. "Hey Dewpaw!"

Dewpaw stuttered, his ears feeling warm. "Um- I—Hi Poolpaw!"

Leafpaw snorted softly with amusement behind him. Dewpaw realized his voice was shrill, trembling from his fright. He coughed awkwardly, struggling to smooth his neck fur down. About to meow something, another cat cut his sentence off. "Poolpaw! Get back here!"

Whiskertail appeared shortly after. The grey speckled cat spoke gruffly, "Poolpaw, you have to slow the mousedung down when I tell you something the least bit exciting…"

Poolpaw acknowledged her mentor with a clumsy bow. She mewed jokingly, "Only because we rarely do anything exciting!" Whiskertail grumbled something about impatient cats.

Adderfang coughed. "We should really get started."

Scampering ahead of the rest, Poolpaw beckoned impatiently. "What are we all waiting for? Let's go slowpokes!"

Leafpaw kept to himself. Dewpaw clearly saw it. The way his whiskers twitched, as if Leafpaw were talking to himself, was easy for him to read. Poolpaw broke his brother's trance, splashing a pawful of mud at his paws. Leafpaw stepped back instinctively. The she-cat burst in laughter. "A _RiverClan_ cat afraid of mud?"

Much to Leafpaw's disgust, the rambunctious apprentice scampered and clamped all over the mud puddle, threatening to coat his fur in the watery dirt. "Poolpaw, get out of that mud!" Whiskertail snapped at his messy apprentice.

Poolpaw shrugged sheepishly at Dewpaw, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Dewpaw felt his ears burn as Poolpaw trotted away, her tail held high. Dewpaw yelped as pain shot through his forepaw. He whimpered softly, "Leafpaw, I believe we've—you've stepped on something."

His counterpart sneered as he plucked the pebble from his paw very deliberately. Leafpaw rolled his eyes as they slowed down to the back of the patrol, far from ears. "Dewpaw. Do you really _like_ Poolpaw?"

Taken back in surprise, Dewpaw whispered under his breath, "What makes you think that?"

Chuckles rumbled in Leafpaw's chest as his mouth curled into a sneer. "You're so naïve to think that it would actually work out."

His words clawed Dewpaw, leaving his gaping, unable to respond. The familiar sensation of falling dizzied his head. Feigning a smile, Dewpaw tried to shrug off Leafpaw's accusations. "Of course not! I mean—I don't like her at all!"

"Really?" Leafpaw didn't sound convinced.

"Yes! Yes!"

"Don't talk to her or about her again. Alright? I don't need to deal with you having crushes right now."

Dewpaw gulped. _I need to prove to Leafpaw I'm useful!_

"I wouldn't dream of it." He couldn't shake off a small smile, thinking of DarkLeaf. Haha. Dream. Leafpaw snorted, satisfied with his answer.

"Good."

As they reached the rest of the patrol, Dewpaw kept stealing glances at Leafpaw. His brother looked content with his answer, and much more relaxed, as if finally finding reason not to be on edge. _I don't understand…. I _feel_ good for making Leafpaw happy, but at the same time, I don't feel good. _Dewpaw sighed. Why must everything be so complex when it came to his relationship with his brother? Suddenly, as yowl rattled his bones.

"Prey-stealers!"


	7. Chapter 5

"Prey-stealers!" Poolpaw had yowled. His nose tilted to the sky, and wrinkled as she sniffed the unmistakable scent of intruders. Leafpaw stiffened, his hackles rising as ThunderClan stench filled his nose. "What are ThunderClan cats doing this deep in our territory?" Adderfang lashed his tail, intending to pinpoint the scent.

"And how did they get manage to swim across the river?" Whiskertail added with a scowl. "They're not RiverClan cats."

Leafpaw growled, "I'm gonna teach these foxhearts a lesson." He sat up, his tail lashing against the flimsy reeds. Adderfang tilted his nose to the sky, remarking, "I believe that the direction should downwind in this direction." Poolpaw pawed the ground, sniffing tentatively as she began following the trail.

Dewpaw inhaled deeply. Confused, he nudged Leafpaw's shoulder. "I don't smell anything." Leafpaw shot back a reply as he trudged along with the others, "I don't care."

"No! I'm really serious I can't smell it."

"I don't know about you, but I can smell it just fine. Alright?" Leafpaw began to sound more impatient with his brother, as if dealing with an insolent kit. Dewpaw bit his tongue bitterly as he stewed over his brother's lack of concern. _Ah, your brother lacking your sense of smell is so unimportant, I suppose. Stupid Leafpaw…_

Vaguely in the distance, Poolpaw shouted, "Another patrol is here!"

Leafpaw sped up, his paws slippery on the muddy RiverClan ground. He caught up to the rest, rickety on his paws, as Dewpaw felt like he was to puke. His less than willing brother closed his eyes, to ease the headache from the bumping. They met in a clearing riddled with the stench of angry, hissy cats. Poolpaw and the rest of the patrol held their ground as two patrols bickered with each other. Among the other patrol were Meadowpelt, Crabclaw, and Twigtail. The deputy of ThunderClan, Desertclaw, stood face to face with the furious Meadowpelt.

Her golden eyes blazed with fury, "You don't have the right to our prey! Get out immediately."

Desertclaw's yellowish pelt glowed as her hackles rose. She thrust a paw at Meadowpelt's face, causing her to flinch as she spat, "This is soon-to-be ThunderClan territory, and you'll have to take this message straight to Marshstar as a warning."

Adderfang stepped forward. Desertclaw stepped back grudgingly, her eyes full of fury and hunger. There was something off about these cats. Dewpaw looked closer with curiosity.

"Get out of here." Adderfang unsheathed his paws.

Desertclaw sneered, her scrawny sides heaving from laughter. "I'll go as I please. Are you going to make me?"

Leafpaw, deciding to make an entrance, slipped out from behind Poolpaw. He unsheathed his claws, and spat. "We'll make you leave."

One of the apprentices with Desertclaw gaped. Its eyes widened with horror. Dewpaw decided it was appropriate to make a polite acquaintance. "Hello fellow rival apprentice!"

The apprentice, dappled with golden spots, flinched at _their_ voices. It whispered something under its breath. _Freak. _Desertclaw narrowed her eyes. "What in StarClan…" Leafpaw snarled. Behind him, Dewpaw meowed in the most ferocious way he could possibly muster.

Desertclaw stepped back, leaving ragged paw prints, and the smell of ThunderClan, in the air. She flicked her tail once, and disappeared into the thick brush. The other apprentice, a stocky brown cat, nodded silently and rushed after her deputy. The previously mentioned one stood rigid however. Its grassy eyes bulging with shock, and disgust as it acknowledged Dewpaw and Leafpaw.

Crabclaw, a russet-colored tom, shooed the apprentice. "Get out of here."

Still the she-cat refused to move. Its eyes trained on the conjoined RiverClan cats. Dewpaw muttered, "It's not polite to stare."

Leafpaw, however, was less forgiving. With a yowl, he leaped clumsily towards the scrawny cat. Shrieking, the she-cat sprinted through the reeds, her tail plumed. As the she-cat fled, Leafpaw's hackles refused to go down. Something snapped mentally. Adderfang noticed the look in Leafpaw's eyes. He intercepted his thoughts, "Leafpaw. You don't need to—No!" The impatient apprentice rushed after the fleeing cat, his eyes murderous.

Dewpaw shouted over the roaring of his ears. "Leafpaw! We don't need to pursue them!"

Leafpaw ignored his brother's advice and continued to push himself forward. He trailed the scent of fear cast by the ThunderClan she-cat. Dewpaw sniffed the air as his head jerked around senselessly. _Still no sense of smell_. A tuff of golden dappled fur glistened among the reeds in the distance. Leafpaw forced himself to go faster. Despite being paralyzed, Dewpaw could still feel. Fire burned in their legs. Dewpaw soon felt tired, his breath panting. Suddenly, their paws were lifted off the ground as they barreled into something, furry and fluffed.

They landed with a crash, flattening some pointed reeds in the process. Dewpaw winced, reed scrapes were as worse as thorns. The golden she-cat squeaked in alarm. She hadn't intended to trip them. Leafpaw growled, heaving himself off the ground. The she-cat mewed desperately, "Don't hurt me! Please don't!"

As the she-cat pleaded, Leafpaw plucked a reed sticking to his paw. Dewpaw tore some from their fur. Dewpaw's brother approached the she-cat, his eyes bloodshot. He yowled, "See how you like it! Feeling my everyday pain!"

He leaped off the ground, smashing into the she-cat's side. The she-cat flailed, her claws snagging into his thick tortoiseshell coat. She tried pummeling his soft stomach, but he clamped down on her paw with his teeth. She shrieked and wrenched her paw free. Leafpaw, tasting blood, posed his paw above her head as he held her into place. She pleaded, "Please don't hurt me! Please!" Her voice cracked, as she squirmed helplessly underneath the weight of two cats.

Dewpaw had enough. He meowed urgently, "You don't need to hurt an innocent bystander!" He tugged his head away, trying to steer Leafpaw into the right direction, figuratively speaking.

The cat below them sobbed, asking Leafpaw desperately to let her go. Leafpaw clawed her cheek. More yowls. Dewpaw had enough. Leafpaw wasn't just going to leave her off with a warning; he was going to _torture_ her. He bit his brother's ear. The taste of their blood mingled on his tongue as Leafpaw's head recoiled backwards in shock. He leaned to the left, to shake his brother loose from his sensitive ear. The she-cat took advantage of his momentary shock and slammed her paw into Leafpaw's head. Pain exploded on the side of Leafpaw's head. It wasn't even Leafpaw's and he too felt the air punched from his lungs.

Leafpaw gave an agonizing breath. No doubt, seeing black spots in his vision. Dewpaw, sharing his pain, thought desperately, _there's no way a paw strike could hurt that much!_

Then he saw it. A bleeding hole in the side of his brother's head. His brother collapsing slowly to the floor, as Dewpaw's head thumped against the ground. A bloodied rock on the ground laid a few tail-lengths away from his blurring eyes. The she-cat fleeing. Blood. Blood everywhere. Blackness. A familiar tugging feeling pulling his conscience to the darkness, as he fought desperately against it, but succumbing to its depths of unconsciousness and dreams.

Dewpaw woke up, paralyzed, tasting the aroma of blood and mud coated on his tongue. He tried struggling to his paws. He couldn't. Cursing, he remembered he couldn't move. Leafpaw lay sprawled on the floor, slowly creating a pool of blood, drenching his neck fur. His brother, deep in unconsciousness, didn't fidget. Dewpaw panicked. He couldn't move, and Leafpaw couldn't move them. Thoughts circled his mind, _what if we're never found? What if Leafpaw dies and I slowly starve to death, as nothing more than a dead cat somehow breathing?_

Wheezing, he coughed. "Someone, help us!" He hacked as he took another painful breath.

The reed departed as a familiar red clan-mate slipped into the clearing. Crabclaw called, "I found them!"

Dewpaw's vision blurred slightly. Meadowpelt appeared shortly afterwards, coming into focus. Twigtail exclaimed as he touched a speck of blood with his paw incidentally, smearing it against the muddy ground.

Crabclaw stepped forward, ears twitching. "Twigtail, help me move them." Together, the two toms began searching for a foothold on the wounded cats. Dewpaw lifted his head as Twigtail bit down on his scruff. His breath made Dewpaw shift uncomfortably, but remained still otherwise. The brown tabby spat out a tuff of grey fur.

"It's impossible to get a good foothold on them. They're too heavy."

Crabclaw nodded in agreement. He shook his head. "You fellows have gotten into yourselves in some situation here."

Meadowpelt grunted. Her eyes averted from her abandoned kits. Twigtail placed his tail on her shoulder in sympathy, "We can't just leave them."

"Yes we can."

The she-cat nudged her way past Twigtail, and examined her bleeding children. Her eyes were a chilly honey color as she raked her gaze over the two. Dewpaw, reflecting her eyes, blinked in shock. "You can't just leave us!" He protested.

His former mother looked to the sky, watching the sun-high sun sink closer to the horizon. Her eyes were motionless as she whispered, "We could just leave them here. They're far out into the edge of the territory. Nobody would even know they were here," she turned to her patrol-mates, "why don't we just leave them?"

To Dewpaw's horror, none of his clan-mates objected to her opposition. Crabclaw exchanged glances between Twigtail. He tried desperately to reason. "You just can't kill a clanmates! We're part of the clan as well!"

"Don't talk like that. You're barely a clan-mate, and not even a cat. You're _half_ a cat."

"Please! –"

Dewpaw gasped as his mother pressed a paw against his vulnerable throat. She spat in his face. "You're a burden to the clan, and you disgust me. You're going to _die_ here."

Black spots blurred his vision, and he choked quietly as his mind churned. _I'm really going to die. _Suddenly, the great weight lessened on his throat. He blinked the darkness away. Twigtail loomed over their ravenous mother. Meadowpelt scrambled to her paws, her fur, identical to Leafpaw's, ruffled and disheveled. Twigtail stood face-to-face with her as he glared with new disgust at his fellow clan-mate.

"He's our clan-mate. You have no right over his life anymore as his mother, as you had mentioned from the very beginning. Even if he's," he nodded to Dewpaw, "strange."

"Go to the camp to let the others know they're here before I spill everything you said to Marshstar." Twigtail lashed his tail as he stared the glaring she-cat down. She muttered something under her breath, before disappearing into the brush. _Twigtail…_ Dewpaw was astonished as well as the confused Crabclaw.

Crabclaw piped up once Meadowpelt vanished, "They'll bleed out before any help gets here though!"

Dewpaw, now fully recovered, pondered for a moment. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "Ah-ha!"

Twigtail tilted a head. "What's the idea?"

"I've always heard about these long floating two-leg toys washing up in the river. Maybe if we can retrieve one, you can pull us onto it and push us to camp." (A/N Pool Tubes, is what Dewpaw is referring to)

Crabclaw nodded slowly. "I think I remember one washed up on the shore once. We had left it there, to let the river sweep it away." Twigtail's eyes lightened up as he nodded in agreement.

Before he left, Twigtail meowed, "We'll be back as quick as a rabbit."

Twigtail nodded curtly at Dewpaw, before the two felines dashed towards the end of the river, a mix of fiery orange and mud fur. Dewpaw stewed silently over the cricking of cicadas. His ears twitched softly, as he rested his head, looking at the disappearing sun, painting the sky with splashes of red. Above him, the first stars began to twinkle softly, as starpelt began to take the sky from the demanding daytime. Dreamily, he wondered what it was like to reach up and chase one of the glittery orbs. He imagined himself chasing one, leaping across seas of clouds and dancing across the moonlight. Absently, he turned his head over towards the vertical horizon. One of his forepaws was splayed in front of him, limp and motionless. It twitched. The gray cat was astonished as he felt it. _He_ could feel it move.

Adjusting his head, he experimented more. The toe moved slightly, so slightly, however, to fill him with joy. Memories came flooding back, through times when he had scampered around Gingerstep's legs as a kit, Leafpaw's limp head dangling helplessly from his shoulder. At times, he could sympathize with the disgust of others. It was truly gross to have a second head dangling, not yet awake, so to speak. With a trembling arm, he lifted his forepaw. Leafpaw stirred, and the forepaw dropped like a stone, thudding against the ground.

Paws thundered against the ground, combined with the squeaky scratch of a two-leg toy. Suddenly feeling woozy from Leafpaw's gradual blood loss, Dewpaw felt himself heaved onto a sleek surface, with a depression in the middle. Resting against the unusual chemical smells, he blacked.

"Dewpaw!"

Darkleaf's voice shook Dewpaw from the depths of his dreams. He woke up with a shudder, lifting his head groggily, finding himself in the medicine cat den. With walls constructed mainly of dirt, reeds, and sticks, it was hard to not tell. Leafpaw's head was adjacent to his upon the floor. His brother moaned, his face half covered in various herbs, leaves, and cobwebs, completely covering one eye and ear. If not for the seriousness of the situation, Dewpaw would have giggled at how ridiculous his brother looked.

He looked up into the worried eyes of Twigtail. The muddy cat looked away hurriedly, noticing him waking up. He nodded curtly, "I—I just wanted to know if you were alright." He turned his chin up towards the ceiling, "And I just wanted to say… You're not a half-bad cat."

Before Dewpaw could utter a word, he left through the exit, his tail high in the air. Darkleaf snickered, "Twigtail. So bad at socializing, I tell you."

Dewpaw bit his tongue, trying not to laugh at Darkleaf's joke. Instead, he agreed, "Seems like it."

Leafpaw shifted uneasily, moving to his side. Dewpaw squeaked as he rolled with him. Darkleaf looked over his shoulder as if distracted suddenly, and walked off. He turned to the dark end of his den to tend to some herbs, their previous conversation dropped very sudden. Confused, Dewpaw glanced at his brother. Leafpaw sighed, staring off into the walls ahead of him. His brother, without turning, merely showed him his covered side as he looked ahead. Eventually he spoke.

"Dewpaw…"

His brother frowned as he scratched the floor absently with a claw. "I just wanted to say… Thanks… for getting us out of there." He said.

"I've realized I haven't been…" he struggled for words, "nice. To you. I mean. And I want to make it up to you by working… better with you and actually listening to you."

Dewpaw forced a smile. "The great almighty solo-ing Leafpaw wants his brother's help?"

"Yes—I mean no, I mean." Leafpaw screwed up his face in frustration.

"It's okay. I know what you mean."

Satisfied, Leafpaw drooped against the floor, his face still half-covered as a silent conversation was exchanged between them. Dewpaw tilted his head as he stared at the moonlight breaking through the entrance of the den. He closed his eyes. After all the compromise with his brother, one memory kept repeating over and over. The memory of his moving paw gave him an awe-powering feeling. _I… moved. _


	8. Chapter 6

Leafpaw dreamt that night.

They were horrible dreams.

However, it didn't start out as horrid as what came after his initial dream. As he drifted into unconsciousness, he had visions of something he lacked in the real world: love. Love of a mother.

The first image that came to him was a loving queen, her breath sweet and minty as she cuddled with him affectionately. He nuzzled closer in the lukewarm fur of his imaginary mother as she groomed the wispy hair on his head. Leafpaw sighed, feeling a great weight relieve from his shoulders. Feeling a purr rumble in his chest, he gazed up at his foster mother in adoration. This time, she was a fiery orange fur color. Every dream was a different cat, but the same love reflected in her eyes as well as Leafpaw's.

She chuckled softly as she looked down at Leafpaw, her fur flowing off like waves from a river. "Leafpaw, you're much too young for such thoughts." Her voice was light and airy. Leafpaw frowned.

It went all downhill from there.

Black. Silence. Light. Another dream.

A young mother cat and her frisky kit took camp in the middle of a golden field, the sun smiling upon them. The kit, a grey she-cat with azure eyes, pounced on a stalk of wheat. She wiggled her catch proudly to her mother. The mother, pelt the color of midnight, licked her daughter's forehead once to show her approval. However, the she-cat turned away from her kin, suddenly infatuated with the horizon.

Slightly put off, the kitten released her prey and wandered towards the edge of the clearing. It was here that she noticed Leafpaw. Voicelessly, her expression turned to delight in a matter of seconds.

Leafpaw, up until this point, had remained invisible. Now a kit pranced around his feet like a prick. At first, he played with the kit nonchalantly. He swat at her head, and lured the kit with his thin whipping tail. Soon he got exasperated with the insistent games, and pushed the kit away. The she-cat waggled her head and nipped at his tail, insisting to play more. Now impatient, Leafpaw roughly pushed the kit away. The words came out before he could control his mouth, "_Go away!"_

His voice broke the quaint silence of the surroundings, shattering the world's simple beauty. With teary eyes, the kit ran off into the beckoning dark forest. The mother cat snapped out of her trance, and searched around for her kit. Panic seeped into her eyes as she called for her kit that didn't come. Running into the forest, Leafpaw looked for the she-cat.

He heard screams of terror.

He called for the kit. He stepped on sharp twigs as he stumbled sloppily to a stop. The screams became louder and echoed around him. It soon became unbearable. Leafpaw's heart drummed, and his head began to throb. Desperately he tried to pinpoint the direction of the sound. Then, in front of him. The kit was bleeding, her mouth contorted in a voiceless scream as she struggled against an invisible force. Leafpaw stood rigid. _I can't move!_

He tried to shout at his muscles to move, but he couldn't move. He felt paralyzed. He w_as_ paralyzed. The kit began to sob, its eyes screaming for its mother as blood pooled around her. _No! _

_And then the most gruesome happened…_

A second head morphed onto the kit, bald and hairless, its maw twisted in a slimy shriek. The screams intensified as the head began to yowl.

…

Leafpaw woke up panting, his heart throbbing as well as the injured side of his head. Gingerly, he was careful not to hit his head against anything once he calmed down. Moss embedded itself in his chest-fur, making him feel sticky, warm and like choking. His brother, Dewpaw, blinked the sleep from his eyes. With eyes full of concern, he squinted through his adjusting eyes to his brother. "Leafpaw, are you alright?"

Leafpaw gulped down his terror, and replied stiffly, "I'm alright."

Dewpaw tilted a head as his head drooped slightly, fighting fatigue. He mumbled softly, "Are you sure?"

Averting his wide terrified eyes from his brother, he sighed with forced exasperation, "Yes! I'm _fine_."

Dewpaw frowned, but unable to fight his failing eyelids. He plopped down on the fresh moss, snoring soundly. Leafpaw rolled his eyes. His brother was so… Wimpy. He pointed a blunt claw in the side of Dewpaw's head hesitantly. His brother didn't even budge or flinch as he snored happily. Leafpaw looked down at his paws, his breath still trembling.

"I'm fine."


End file.
